While I'm talking about my 'Bucket List'...

I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to say, "I, Beth Ann Thornhill, of sound mind and body at age 40, want to be cremated and put into an artificial reef...Yes, I did say to be put into an artificial reef....

Let me back up by explaining that one of my goals in life was to obtain a scuba diving license. I finally did (a long time ago) and unfortunately hardly ever get to use it.
My first love is the sea, and always has been. My dream growing up was to be a cook on Jacques Cousteau's ship, where I could learn French and he could teach me everything he knows about Marine Biology...how do you like that one? In fact, I love the sea so much that if I could not only help foster a 'greener' Earth, and get to scuba dive (so to speak) for the rest of my passed life, why wouldn't I?






Here is a video for you to check it out~http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1155389201/bclid1224769791/bctid1444168387

I finally made my own Bucket List!

I'm on a roll tonight-

I just glanced at the clock and it is 12:18...past midnight by 18 minutes! Yikes!
Anywho....I stumbled upon another blog that caught my interest. "Confessions of an Apron Queen" is a place I will be going back to, to read more about who this person is and how I can win myself a very cute vintage apron (which I secretly ADORE).
All I need to do is create my own "Bucket List", which I planned on doing anyways, after I saw the movie (but never did, until now).

Beth Ann's Bucket List:

*stay on a deserted island (at least overnight)
*drink wine from a villa in Tuscany
*foster a child/baby
*chase a storm and document the event
*participate in a 5K (walking. not ready for running yet)
*do something for someone in which they cannot pay me back (as many times as I can)
*backpack through Europe with my family
*learn how to quilt and finish the one Grandma Julia game me!
*parasail in warm waters
*travel and get to know Ireland
*become bilingual
*buy a sailboat, learn how to sail and just go....to warm waters
(this list is subject to change at any given time)

What do you have on your list?

Tackle-It Tuesdays- a great idea!

Okay everyone...

Since being around my sister, who is very creative and an organizational genius, and seeing her computer room-turned craft/toy room for her three kids, (as well as her house) I am inspired.
I'm teaming up with a million other gals and participate in the Tackle-It Tuesdays from a fun blog called 5 Minutes for Mom.
Check them out and see if you want to challenge yourself too!
I'm converting the twins' toy room to a more 'mature' craft/game room. I'm posting how it looks messy, how it looks now, and with the new 'mess mat' we bought in case the craft supplies spill from the table. We will start rearranging the room tomorrow, with the kids' help, as we were told, "Not to start without us."

Semi-Clean------------^














<--------Kids playing on new 'mess rug' for the going-to-be- craft/game-room



Let me know if you join me...I will want to see your before and after pics too!

I still consider myself new to blogging, so when I find something of great interest, I can't get enough of it. I found this website called SCRIBBIT, and it is all about a mom raising 4 children in Alaska. My first thought was they were on a snowy frontier, living in a yurt, chopping their own firewood...you know...Alaska. Well- I cant tell you how wrong I was!
I have not only gotten a fresh idea of life in Alaska, but made a far-away connection to a place I now want to travel to!
I have really enjoyed everything about Michelle Mitchell's great website-and try to learn and emulate what she does. I love reading not only what she writes about, but how she uses words...something I need to practice desperately. (smile) She even has give-aways and contests, which has pushed me as a blogger to enter as many as I can!
Her latest is July's Write-Away Contest where she asks you to write about "Wonder Woman"... your interpretation of it...from a parents perspective, a busy businesspersons' view... you decide.
I decided to enter my version of "Wonder Woman", which I really felt like, as this school year came to an end. I thought I would never make it to see June 16th come (last day of school), but not only did I make it, but I listed some of the things I did happen to do throughout the year. See "Am I Dreaming...?"

Michelle- I love your French Beret! Imagine my shock when your house was not a yurt!

And on the 8th day she rested....

Today is "lazy day"... the day after a vacation where all the laundry needs to be done, the house picked up, errands ran, blogs updated.... you know...

We just got back from our yearly "Firecracker BalloonFest" up in Bear Valley Springs, Ca. which is nestled within the Tehachapi mountains. The great community there invites us up to help them celebrate the 4th of July. We free fly and also offer rides for those interested. Usually we don't have enough balloons for the amount that wants to ride, but this year we succeeded!
We had our favorite balloonists, Don and Kamma Kissick, coordinate the whole weekend and we had absolutely gorgeous weather for the 18th year in a row (of course!).
Here is what the weekend looks like:

*get there (2-3 hours depending on how many 'kid breaks' we take)
*set up camp (we tent camp, but LONG for a toybox where we can have a real bathroom and shower)
*meet and greet everyone at camp (usually at least 20 other families)
*go to bed by midnight
*get up 5:00am to get everyone ready and beg for coffee from anyone I can (Thanks Lauren!)
*Get to field by 6:00am, pilot briefing at 6:15, set up balloon while Jeff at meeting
*6:30am meet new guests (usually first time flyers) and inflate balloon
*7:00am- try to be off ground asap and load up truck. Get ready to "chase" balloon
*9:00am- try to be on ground and packing up balloon
*10:00- enjoying the biggest tailgating party with new guests with balloonists toast
*11:00am-midnight- do whatever you want back in camp (usually involves napping, showering and more eating)
Repeat for the following days.



Our modest tent
and beautiful
scenery












Cope and Tierney took their scooters and had a great time-until they crashed and burned! They had a great time then going from camp to camp peeling off the bandages and showing everyone.














Of course I only
brought 1 pair.
What could happen
in 2 days, right?













And of course
I only brought flip-flops
for my daughter
who won't wear
tennis shoes...
Thanks to Tom Pratt who cleverly duck-taped the one flip back on!
Can you say, "Whiskey-Tango"?



Just some of
my favorite balloons














"Panda-monium" the latest balloon from Tim Chico- and YES!
You can get a ride from this bear- Just call Tim @ 760-717-8444





More beautiful
balloons
















The beautiful
valley we flew in








The "Carousel"
(our balloon) is the multi-colored one with bunting (2nd to R of Panda)
Click on picture to enlarge









This oak tree
was so neat that I
had to take a picture!

Lightning Quick....

Flew back to Palm Springs Wednesday! (sad face)

Unpacked Thursday, repacked Thursday night and leaving for Tehachapi, Ca. (Bear Valley Springs) tomorrow morning for the annual Firecracker weekend, which of course includes ballooning!

Ill take as many pics as I can, and post when I get home! I know I still have some catching up to do from my last trip! :)

See you soon!

Holy Cow, do I have some catching up to do!

It is not as easy as you might think...being with your family and trying to squeeze in time to walk back to the office (even late at night) to get in 'blog time'!
Here is a quick update:

Day 6 (June 22) was the finish of IRONMAN...such a wonderful event to experience! I have more pics to add when I get time.

Day 7 was my cocktail 'party'- which was fabulous! My sister and her brave husband Robb, took my kids overnight for a 'slumber party' (did I mention they have three of their own?) and I met my parents for a wonderful evening of cocktails and tapas. We started off at Barrel Room No. 6, which was a FABULOUS place to begin any evening. We ordered a wine that was made specifically for the restaurant- and it was very good. Along with that I enjoyed my first cheese plate...which paired together perfectly, and being able to sit and talk to my parents together was icing on the cake.



Wine and Cheese plate! Yummy!






After Barrel Room No. 6 we traveled to The Beacon, which is on a corner, and has these marvelous gigantic windows from which to people watch and enjoy the beauty of downtown. We stayed there until it got really crowded and we enjoyed more to eat and drink. Our waitress was very nice and the whole evening was just wonderful! (Thank you Erin and Robb!)



The Beacon downtown







My wonderful parents






Since then we have been to the Library, which is a magnificent building in itself. They are very kid-friendly, which doesn't surprise me- because the whole town is great for children/families.
My children where fascinated by the computer games and story time with a craft, in the children's portion of the library. The day we went we learned about bugs, read poems, listened to interesting facts and made a dragonfly from popsicle sticks!


The inside, looking down
the stairs






Looking up, once
you walk in. This is
a really neat piece of
art- the breeze blows
these pieces of metal
and makes it look like
it is slinking around.



I couldn't resist- he was
too cute! Moose are
everywhere here!




Grandpa has promised Jamie that he would take her fishing... and so we went. I accompanied Grandpa because I knew he might need help! (teehee)

We had a great time, although it was a little 'iffy' at first. They all needed their fishing rods with a worm on it right away...all four of them. I must admit- I was not interested in the worm part at all, and wasn't much help to Grandpa except casting out the rods each time they 'thought they had a bite'. After awhile I went ahead and cut worms, put worms on hooks, and re-casted about a million times.


















All together the kids caught about 6 fish. Of course none were eating size, so we released them, much to the groaning of the kids.








Jamie calling home
to tell mom she caught a fish!



















We had one major accident: Cope was holding a hook for Grandpa, let it go and turn quickly to walk away...except the hook snagged his finger and he was bleeding quite bad. He went hysterical at the site of blood (you have to know Cope) and I couldn't calm him down enough to get a band aide on it. Finally he quit crying and jumping around, we washed it, dried it and got a band aide on it. Bobby reminded me I had some "Neo To Go" and I spritzed his boo-boo before we covered it.















Releasing the fish...
waiting their turn to
release one





Today Jeff flies in, and Ill drive over to Spokane to pick him up. We are very excited Daddy will be joining us!
I'm hoping I can find more time to blog, once Jeff gets here...I'm keeping my fingers crossed! More later!

IRONMAN Continued... (Day 7 of vacation)

We were very graciously invited to an afternoon soirée at the Coeur d'Alene Resort City Inns, a local downtown hotel that has a really great upper deck from which to watch the IRONMAN from. Here are the 5 out of 7 grandkids
L to R: Bobby, Tierney, Cope, Jamie and Hayden (Hayden is Jamie's best friend)
(Hi Abby and Jimmy T- We miss you!)

I can speak from personal experience about this wonderful hotel, since for the last 4 years I have been a guest here. The two greatest things about this hotel are the management (very friendly and warm) and the location, since it is literally right downtown. It was perfect for me and the kids, since we just take a right out of our room, and BAM- we are downtown! We walked to everything! A gas station and post office are nearby, as well as an upper deck to relax on.
If you ever do come to Coeur d'Alene, tell the owners I said "Hi!"

Back on Thursday I mentioned us having dinner at Tomato Street. We went to the one in Coeur d'Alene, and oh my goodness- what great food! Our party of 10 consisted of 5 adults and 5 children, and I'm telling you the truth...We sat the 4 oldest kids together in a booth and didn't have to fuss with them the whole night! The restaurant has a neat atmosphere that really needs to be seen and felt. Plenty for the kids to do and not get bored, loud enough they wont be scolded at, and food to drool over. Move over Olive Garden, these fresh and piping hot garlic loaves of bread were to die for! And the pizza...incredible! Service was good and were weren't rushed, or had to wait for anything. Next time you are in the area- you gotta go!











So to finish up the exciting IRONMAN from yesterday... around 2:30, when the kids could not hold on any longer, I took them home for a nap. We awoke around 5:30 and ate my favorite pizza EVER- Papa Murphy's Veggie De-lite and then walked back downtown to the Resort City Inns for the afternoon soirée on the upper deck. Good food and drink and great company, made the evening very relaxed and exciting. We cheered for everyone that ran by and after awhile we all walked down to the finish line where a huge crowd had gathered. By this time is was 10:00pm, and I knew we wouldn't make it to the midnight hour. (If you don't happen to cross the finish line by midnight, you are not given a 'time')


This is right outside
the Resort City Inns






I just looked at the clock, and I have a cocktail reception to go to in 13 minutes! I will try and finish up as soon as possible! I have so much to tell you still!

Ciao'!

IRONMAN TODAY!

Today is the day the infamous IRONMAN will take place!
When I told my sister I'd be coming for a visit, she said, "Oh- you can come to IRONMAN with us!"
The buzz around town has all been about IRONMAN. Businesses getting ready for the crowds, the streets filling up with cones and flags...the hospitality tents being raised...all in preparation for IRONMAN.

So I awoke at 4:30am, and our family was out the door by 5:30 to walk into town and get to "the wall", which is where everyone likes to sit and watch the first leg of the triathlon- swimming 2 miles in the Coeur d'Alene lake. (which by the way was 59.5 degrees this morning)







(L to R)
Tierney, Jamie, Aunt Erin, Cope
behind me was Uncle Robb,
Grandpa, Jillian and Bobby

We are "On the wall" waiting
for the athletes to jump in
the water and start swimming







We are "on the wall"
waiting for the beach to fill up with
the athletes.
The gun will go off and most
of the 2200 participants
will all jump into the FRIDGID
waters! (59.5 degrees)








Here the beach is starting to fill
up with all the athletes.
The "professional athletes"
have already begun, now the
others are waiting for their turn.










It looked like a school of
sardines flopping around.
All you saw were a sea of
pink and blue swim caps
and arms splashing as they
all entered at once.







It was just amazing to
see how many different
types of people were in
the race! I was in awe of each
one and how determined they looked.
I heard it is not uncommon
for their toenails to fall off
after the race.
Does anyone know if that is true?






This is but one fraction of the amount
of clothing bags the swimmers
will try to find with the help of their volunteers.


















And then there are the sea of bikes
waiting patiently....











The first swimmers out of
the water...these are some of
the "professionals"...











And they begin the biking portion...
112 miles in and out of town.












Of course we then went to breakfast...
Any idea where?

...Yep! Calypsos' baby!!!









And this, my friends, is my
reward for getting up so
early...a blended mocha.
I also had a very delicious
toasted, sesame seed bagel with
scrambled eggs, ham and cheese.




Starting the race...


Ill have more updates later, as the day goes on. The bike portion is still going strong, and I'm not sure if anyone is actually running yet.
We plan on coming back out around midnight to cheer for those that cross the finish lines before then. (If you don't happen to cross before midnight, you are not officially given a time)
*If anyone IN the IRONMAN is reading this- you truly are INCREDIBLE!
I applaud you for your total commitment in this race!